The last time Bruce Springsteen ventured West for inspiration, the result was the desolate Nebraska and its tales of serial killers and used cars. On his first record in three years, Springsteen navigates barren deserts and Old West war fields for a dozen forlorn songs that co-star the artist and his acoustic guitar. Though he's always had a knack for carving out the hooks and melodies that make each journey memorable, this time around Springsteen relies on the lyrics to carry the tune-desperate tales of tragedy, heartbreak, and lust with a Latino twist, like the boxer coming home ("The Hitter"), a distressing border-crossing incident ("Matamoros Banks"), and the Nevada hooker with good intentions ("Reno," which led to the warning sticker Adult Imagery). With no E Street Band in the mix, the album is decorated with horns and strings and Springsteens novel falsetto on two his best efforts: "Marias Bed," where the narrator comes home to his woman after 40 nights on the road, and the fast-picking "All Im Thinkin About," where he has more than Carolina on his mind. A decade from now this will be an underrated record in the Springsteen chronicles. --Scott HolterThe Best of Bruceby guest editor Steve Perry Steve is editor-in-chief of City Pages newspaper in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

TheWild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle(1973)Aftera folk-rockish debut album that bubbled with ideas and dense lyrical play, thisis where Springsteen began to find his voice as a rocker and as a songwriter.The prisoner-of-love romanticism of "Rosalita" and "Incident on 57th Street"hinted at what was coming, and this early version of the E Street Band--jazzierand more spare than later versions, thanks largely to David Sancious's piano--soundsgreat, if a little ragged, these many years later.

Bornto Run(1975) andDarknesson the Edge of Town(1978) These two records, which belong on any compilation of the top 100 rock albumsof all time, sketched the themes that he would spend his whole career chasing,and defined the expectations fans would bring to his records ever after. Thefirst chords of "Born to Run" sounded like freedom itself the first time I heardthem on the radio, and the album lived up to them. "Thunder Road" is still thegreatest rock & roll love song anyone's ever written. The record soundedso big and impassioned and propulsive it was easy to miss the dread runningunderneath it. Darkness... put the dread front and center. There aremore of his best songs here than anywhere else, even if the sound is muddy andleaden at times.

Nebraska(1982)AfterThe River (the best record that didn't make this list) and the ensuingtour answered his rock & roll prayers--he was a big star now, not just aperennial critics' favorite--Springsteen holed up in a rented house on the Jerseyshore, where he wrote these songs and sang them into a four-track recorder inhis living room. The tape was supposed to be a demo for the band, but afterseveral false tries he concluded that the tape he'd been carrying around inhis pocket was the record. Quiet and bleak, Nebraska nonetheless grabbedyou by the collar and made you listen as surely as his rock & roll recordsever had.

Tunnelof Love(1987)Theglare and hubbub surrounding the Born in the USA tour (the tour wasgreat--the record itself overrated) made him pull back again, this time to writea cycle of songs about love and fear and self-doubt. After this, Springsteen'sfirst marriage broke up, and he started a family with Patti Scialfa, disappearingfor the better part of 10 years, notwithstanding the pair of not bad, just disappointingalbums he released in 1992, Human Touch and Lucky Town.

TheGhost of Tom Joad (1995)Some call it Nebraska II, but his second acoustic album was not a repeatof his first--the characters and settings had changed, and their circumstanceswere more expressly desperate, and social--though it did share the same interestin what happens to people whose isolation or marginal status renders them invisible.

TheRising(2002)Everybody--including Springsteen himself--seemed to think it was a record about 9/11, but the subjectwas broader: death and loss as seen from more than halfway down life's road.Dave Marsh nailed it: "A middle-aged man confronts death and chooses life."Brendan O'Brien's production sounds great.

Unfortunately for Bruce's fans- it's over...
I have not bought this cd but have heard several tracks from it and will save myself some money. I honestly don't know how anyone can give this cd 5 stars...what are they smoking?? Bruce has NO voice left...in its place is some kind of forced muttering from someone who sounds like they ingested a large amount of rat poisen. The lyrics are uncreative and boring...nothing resembling his past brilliance. And the music...all I can do is shake my head and feel sorry for a great artist that has overstayed his welcome among the musical elite.I have loved Bruce's music and genius my whole life which makes it really hard to see him tarnish such a great career with such a woeful attempt at singing and songwriting.Please give it up Bruce- this is one fan who will never buy another one of your albums but instead will break out something from many years ago that will stay great forever.

The Essential Bruce Springsteen
This is one of Bruce's best! Pared down.
It takes several listens beforeyou can fully appreciate some songs - Read the Lyrics. You will appreciate his songwriting abilities even more.

Out'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
One of Springsteen's finest albums, "Devils and Dust" shows that as an artist Springsteen continues to grow. "Devils and Dust" sounds terrific on this dual sided CD/DVD. The CD side has all 12 songs. The DVD side has all 12 songs with lyrics displayed on the screen in time to the song. There's also a number of strong video performances from the album including "Devils and Dust", "Long Time Comin'", "Reno", "All I'm Thinkin' About" and "Matamoros Banks". The rustic home its shot in capture the feeling of the album perfectly. One could argue that Springsteen is "putting on airs" since he's a rich man shooting in this rural home that consist of performances about people that are far from wealthy. However, like a lot of artists Springsteen is trying to capture the anguish, despair and distant sense of hope that frequently occupies the lives of the downtrodden and desperate. It's a dark album as Springsteen notes, these are the stories of people in danger or down on their luck due to circumstance.

The video portion features Springsteen primarily performing the songs in their original incarnation; as acoustic tunes with just guitar and harmonica complimenting his singing. Just a note about the DVD--you can listen to the 5.1 Surround in 2.0 and it will sound fine if you set up your DVD player or receiver to play it back that way. Springsteen does an introduction for each song discussing a bit about his past as a performer and a bit about each song prior to performing them. I don't have a 5.1 set up on my computer and wanted to watch the performances as well as listen to the album while I was working. Unlike, say, the DVD releases of Crowded House's first album or Richard Thompson's DVD release on Capitol, it sounds just fine in the 2.0 format.

Just a warning for parents that listen to Springsteen with their kids around--"Reno" has some adult content in it (and it's noted on the DVD/CD as well). I was concerned after Springsteen's fine album "The Rising" that we might have seen a one-shot return to form due to the subject matter. I'm happy to be proven wrong. This is one of my favorite albums by Springsteen. I particularly like the way his voice has matured over the years and listening to him sing the material is a real highlight here particularly on the title tune and "Long Time Comin'". An excellent album.

Subdued, broken down, haunting
I admit I really didn't like this album much when I got it on impulse figuring 'surely the boss can't give us dross'. But on repeated listenings it's really a grower. Nebraska style, acoustic tracks about all manner of subjects, with a huge deal of lyrical integrity. It's not gonna be to everyone's tastes that's for sure, but don't give up on it. To be honest I would pay the money for 'Reno' alone. Such an astounding song, lie back close your eyes and let it wash over you, nothing's ever captured something so beautifully and hauntingly.

Sad sequel to a great career!
A longtime fan painfully admits: THIS IS FRIGHTFULLY BAD MUSIC. Bruce...you gotta know when to fold 'em.
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Don't let the headless CGI dancer on the cover fool you. While Stand Up has a more organic feel than 2001's radio-ready Everyday, it is hardly an invocation for carefree days spent twirling on the grass. Instead it is a call to arms that carries over much of the insurrectionary spirit the Dave Matthews Band brought to 2004's Vote For Change Tour. Matthews, sounding rawer than ever, swerves between optimism ("To change the world you only start with one step," he sings on "You Might Die Trying") and angst ("See the man with the bomb in his hand/Everybody wake up," goes "Everybody Wake Up [Our Finest Hour Arrives]"), while producer Mark Baston, best known for his small-time work with big-name pop acts like Beyonce and 50 Cent, responds by putting the marching band rhythms of Carter Beauford in the front and galvanizing the music with a crisp R&B edge, most evident in the totally--okay, partially--crunk "Stolen Away On 55th & 3rd." --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (298)

Chicks like this stuff..why?
If you're a man and wanting to buy this record then just end it right now. If you're a woman, stop PMSing and listen to better music.

Taking a stand ...
I do like the Dave Matthews Band a lot but I am taking a stand on this album.

I love my iPod and I love my CDs. I do buy music.

I actually purchased this Dual Disc album but took it back when I learned that I could not upload it into my iTunes library.

Obviously, this new anti-copying format on STAND UP has enough iPod entusiasts upset that DMB addresses it on their website.
Well ... sorry Dave ... I am not going to upload this disc as a WMA file and then burn it so I can upload it again into iTunes.

PS ...I think that DMB should cooperate with Apple (and not vice versa) in making an easy solution to this.

Non-corporate!Yay!
I was mildly surprised by this latest release from DMB.I had stopped listening to them for a while, shortly after I noticed that they were putting out live album after live album.Two- and even three-CD live sets twice a year for about three years straight!And all with the SAME SONGS on them!It was getting ridiculous, and I basically got tired of waiting for new stuff from them, so I kind of gave up.A shame, considering I was such a big fan of DMB.Their sound was getting very corporate and manufactured (even for them!) around that time as well, and had strayed away from what they sounded like starting out.
This album returns (sort of) to their roots, and it's a pleasant curve.When I heard songs like "Bring That Beat Back" and "American Baby" (the first single), it took me back to their pre-"Under the Table" days, and I got a little misty-eyed.It sounds like they had a lot of fun making this one, and the fun shows in ditties like the catchy "Louisiana Bayou" (you can't help but "ooh" along with Dave and the guys on that one; you'll see what I mean when you listen to it).
One thing I frowned at, though, was the drums.Carter Beauford is one of the premier drummers on the planet, but he takes a back seat to a drum machine on a lot of the tracks.When he does take the lead on the drums, it's a lot more low-key than I was used to hearing.That aspect is fitting, considering the album's so laid back, but a DRUM MACHINE?!That's about the only thing that reminded me that once musicians go corporate, it's really hard for them to keep it out of their music.
Still and all, this is one of DMB's better albums.Not their best by a long shot, but it's nice to see that in some ways they haven't forgot the sound with which they started.
I also would like to let people know about the disc itself.There's some sort of protection written into the disc that prevents most computer media players (Windows Media Player, et al) from ripping the CD to your computer.It seems that the record company is so afraid of piracy that they've fixed it so the only way you can listen to the CD is to actually stick it into your CD player/PC and listen to it that way.You can't even rip it to your MP3 player or PC.If CD's are going to be this way from now on, then there may not be much of a future for CD's themselves; people are going to just going to resort to downloading music.
Anyway, enjoy the album...if you're a DMB fan, you'll probably dig it.I sure did.

Highly Recommended Album, despite what the skeptics say
Let me start off by saying that many people have been jumping the gun on their review of this album. As far as this being the worst album of 2005, you might want to think again. The Dave Matthews Band has been coming out with hit after hit on every album they release, and Stand Up is no exception. Dreamgirl is sure to be an eventual hit on the radio, along with Steady As We Go and Out of My Hands, to mention a few.

This album catches the rawest, most pure emotions, from the band, and that is evident in Out of My Hands, with the one and only David J. Matthews taking a break from his guitar and playing the piano and displaying just how diverse the band truly is. Matthews is not the only one who puts down his original instrument to pick up another one. Boyd Tinsley puts down his electric violin and replaces it with an electric mandolin on a few songs and Stefan Lessard, the band's bassist, plays the electric guitar on Hunger for the Great Light (he plays the opening riff to the song).

DMB continues to stun and amaze their fans with their style of music. They play what they want, and they don't care what the world thinks about them. The band is so proud of this album, and so should EVERY DMB fan who buys this album.

Another point I wanted to bring to everyone's attention was the statement that someone said there are no "JAM SESSIONS" on this album. If you would listen to the album and give it a chance, you would realize that about 85-90% of the songs on the album have jam outs, whether at the end or in the middle of the song, they are there. There is a jam session at the end of American Baby, Louisiana Bayou, Hunger for the Great Light, and You Might Die Trying, just to name a few. I'm personally getting tired of hearing all these alleged dave fans bashing this album.

Now, I know there are a lot of skeptics out there who believe this album is horrible. But the album has to grow on you. I was a fan of the album from the beginning, but a lot of my friends needed to listen to it a couple of times to really enjoy it. The mood of this album is very relevant to the title "STAND UP". It makes you want to stand up and dance along with the hip-hop/pop like beats in some of the songs (Stand Up (For It) and Stolen Away).

This album also displays Mr. Matthews at his lyrical finest. With lines like "I would do most anything, girl, to be the apple of your eye"/Steady As We Go and "I was feeling like a creep as I watched you asleep, face down in the grass in the park, in the middle of a hot afternoon, your top was untied and I thought how nice it'd be to follow the sweat down your spine"/Dreamgirl, you can really feel the emotions and love he puts into his music. ("The first time I kissed you, I lost my legs"/Old Dirt Hill)

I would HIGHLY recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of good, quality music.

This is B side album
This is the worst album of 2005. DMB is gone bad now. What happened to Jam sessions? Even debut album of other bands are good. Stay away from this one.
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While not exactly classical crossover's take on The Monkees, this international quartet of young male vocalists from America, France, Spain and Switzerland shares a similar genesis. Assembled after a long talent search and audition process, they were teamed with pop producers Per Magnusson and David Krueger (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys) and Steve Mac (Charlotte Church, Kelly Clarkson) and turned loose on a slate of classical-pop favorites, with a dramatic, dynamically nuanced read of Toni Braxton's signature "Unbreak My Heart" setting the standard. While the deceptive ease of their harmonies belie the group's disparate nationalities and talent search roots on the melodramatic "Hoy Que Ya No Estas Aqui," Morricone's glorious Mission theme, "Nella Fantasia" and the cascading "Passera," the album's pop-oriented material is a decidedly more mixed bag ."Everytime I Look At You" and "Feelings" (not Morris Albert's) soar gracefully, while "The Man You Love" seems more a throwback to the producers' boy band roots. The standard "My Way" and a lovely, bonus cut Italian version of "Unchained Melody" close the album out on a high note, even if their safe familiarity doesn't offer the promising quartet a sufficient musical challenge. --Jerry McCulley

PLEASE DON'T EVER TOUCH THE MIC AGAIN
Even Mariah Carey's "Glitter" was better than this (And I didn't like that album either). This "IL DIVO" group is one of the worst acts I've ever come across. THEY TOTALLY RUINED TONI BRAXTON'S "UN-BREAK MY HEART". Even Ms Braxton sounded better in Spanish (She did a Spanish version). "Un-Break My Heart" is the kind of song that if it is going to be remade, Do have any Males Remake it. This Album SUCKS

Ugh.
Really.When one bad tenor insists on singing it's bad enough, but four bad tenors at once?What did we do to deserve this?Well, we can't really expect great things from Simon Cowell, can we?I don't even need to buy this CD to know that it would horrible.Just from the samples available on Amazon, it sounds like they are all trying to outsing each other, which in turn causes them to strain, which causes them to go sharp.This is like Ashlee Simpson.Why would someone really, genuinely think this is good?It disgusts me.If I could give it a rating of negative stars, I would.

Tenors out of tune.
I listened to the samples of this groups' songs and did not like it at all. It sounds like they are trying to outsing each other. Their voices sounds like they are imitating the 3 tenors but did not quite made it. I will not buy the CD even if you give me a hundred bucks. That's what I think of this group Il Divo (really bad sound and bad song selection). So Simon you're not really a good judge, I don't know why you say all those nasty words at some of the contestants in Amercian Idol. This group of yours sounds really bad, it needs fine tuning.

Great talent, bad direction
The guys can sing. I'll give you that. But what on earth are they singing? Certainly nothing appropriate for them or their style. Taking guys from around the world and making a pop group was an interesting idea and, if done right, could have been something special. But Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart"??? Are you kidding me? The guys sound uncomfortable singing these songs and it makes me feel uncomfortable listening to it.

Original?Yes.Tolerable? Not quite...
I must hand it to Simon Cowell, this is an intriguing project.Taking classical (not new wave classical but REAL classical) and pop and attempting to meld the two together is an interesting notion.Ultimately, however, the band fails.First and foremost, Il Divo will never be able to escape the fact that they are a manufactured band, brought together by a talent search and, essentially, given everything they needed on a silver platter.Yes, it worked with the Sex Pistols and a few others, but bands created by a record company, for the most part, spew out whatever crap their adoring label wants them to.Their poppy take on classical will make fans of classical music despise their superficiality, their classical take on pop will make most pop-listeners dismiss them as boring or as a silly novelty.If you must buy this album, "Nella Fantasia" and "Passera" are better than most of the other tracks.
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As gleefully silly yet wickedly smart as the beloved British comedy troupe and their 1975 cinematic savaging of the Arthurian legend that inspired it, this adaptation ofMonty Python and the Holy Grail by MP's Eric Idle and longtime musical co-conspirator John Du Prez has much more on its feverish agenda than merely trashing King Arthur and firmly upending his Round Table. The film's plot remains largely intact, but its core songs ("Knights of the Round Table," "Brave Sir Robin") and comic thrust have been both expanded and satirically redirected, a musical comedy shotgun that takes dizzy aim at pop culture in general, and Broadway in particular. After typically Pythonesque distractions that somehow find us in "Finland..," stars David Hyde-Pierce, Tim Curry, Hank Azaria and company get busy conjuring the Lady of the Lake with the unlikely help of "Laker Girls..," while cast members Sara Ramirez and Christopher Sieber deliciously skewer contemporary Broadway cliches via the loopy showstopper "The Song That Goes Like This," a tune whose reprise also deliciously sends up every overwrought stage diva from Merman to Minelli. Idle has shrewdly ripped off--well, interpolated--Life of Brian's "Always Look On the Bright Side" for the new show, and even a snatch of "The Lumberjack Song" in "He Is Not Dead Yet." "You Won't Succeed on Broadway" reveals the frankly Semitic secret to stage success, and the French get can-canned on "Run Away!" Meanwhile, our bravest knight is de-closeted on the Manilow-mauling "His Name is Lancelot" before the familiar sound of clomping coconut shells brings down the curtain on the season's goofiest if satirically dead-on comic delight. --Jerry McCulley

The review that goes like this
Once in every Amazon.com page there comes a review like this. It starts out with an intro and ends up with...um...an ending?

Anyway, "Spamalot" is an outstanding musical, complete with amazing singing, wonderful orchestration, and hilarious farce. My favorite songs are "The Song that Goes Like This" and "Diva's Lament." The former is a love song about singing love songs. I'm not sure that the Lady of the Lake and Galahad are in love, but they sure know how to sing love songs, and to tell the audience how to do it. In the latter (Diva's Lament), the Lady of the Lake has not been onstage since the first act, and she is not at all pleased about it. Another great one is the Laker Girls' Cheer. The Lady of the Lake's handmaidens suddenly turn into cheerleaders to welcome Galahad to King Arthur's army.

Purists who expect an exact retelling of the movie may be a bit disappointed, as several plot points have been changed. For example, it has been "politically corrected." As far as I can tell, references to God have been replaced by the Lady of the Lake. Considering the nature of the references to God in the movie, I'm OK with that. Instead of searching for the literal Holy Grail as they do in the movie, the grail has turned into a metaphor for the thing that each character wants the most and is seeking to find (thus removing references to Jesus).

Also, the ending has been changed. Since I don't want to spoil the suspense, I won't tell what happens, but I was happy about that. The movie, though great, is so anticlimactic.

My biggest problem with the musical is that two characters turn out to be gay, which is not at all in keeping with the legend. (But then, when has Monty Python stayed true to legend?)

Overall, I think this is a great musical, and it will be enjoyed for years to come.

"I can't believe there's more. It's far too long, I'm sure. That's the thing about this [review]. It goes on and on and on...

The [review] always ends like this!"

This is the show that goes like this
I bought this CD the day it came out and I wish it had come out sooner! This is a wonderful Broadway Score!! Eric Idle certainly has given the Python fans and the Broadway fans something to share. It has some of the catchiest music I have heard in along time. I'm acutally listening to it right now.
From the opening (Tuning) it starts out with a laugh. Then we move into the overture and Historian's Introduction to Act 1. That track sets the tone for the entire show. You know you are in for a laugh. I really admire people that can write songs like this. I wish I was that talented.
Now to the music istelf. My favorite track on this CD is "The Diva's Lament (Whatever Happened To My Part)." This really struck a cord with me because, being in theater, I know people like this. I can actually picture them singing this song and being serious about it. Especially the line "Call my agent dammit!" Then she complains about it again in "TWice In Every Show." I really enjoy shows that take the time to make fun of themselves and have a good time doing it. Like Urinetown. Some other songs of honorable mention are "The Song That Goes Like This," "Find Your Grail," "You Won't Succeed on Broadway" and "His Name Is Lancelot." These are humorous songs that (to me) really sell the show. It was also nice to see them use some of the Python songs. "Knights of the Round Table," "Brave Sir Robin," "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" and "Finland." Of course some of the lyrics have been changed and others have been added, but they make the songs better in my opinion.
As for the performers... all do a great job. I LOVE Sarah Ramirez. That woman can belt a song. I truly hope she wins a Tony Award. As for the male cast, I was surprised at David Hyde Pierce. It was nice to see him cut loose and act crazy. Chris Seiber does very weel in his songs, especially The Song That Goes like This. I'd love to sing that song. Tim Curry is good, but sometimes I feel he overplays it a bit. I know this is comedy (and I might change my view when I actually see the show in June) but he really overdoes it on some of his songs. Hank Azaria doesn't do much solo singing but what he does do is great. He was quoted once saying that he was cast in the show for his voices and not his singing and dancing. Well, we shall see when the Tony Awards are announced.
All in all this is a great CD to add to your collection. It has comedy, great music and a great cast. Don't pass it up.

A Broadway show, as only Monty Python can make it
I saw this musical at The Shurbert Theater in Chicago. At I never laughed so hard at a show period. It combined the chaos of Python with the production values of Broadway. I think it cost more to make the musical than it did in the orginal movie in 1974. Anyway, it was treat because it was the most star studded show I had ever to date. Not including seeing Sally Ringwald in When Met Sally, and David Hasseloff in Chicago, both in London. This show starred Tim Curry as Graham Chapman's role of King Arthur. When he first stepped on stage the theater erupted. So did I, because I always admired Curry. He had an amazing performance which I excepted him to do. Since he was great in Rocky Horror Picture Show. He was well perpard to off the wall crazy. Another star was David Hyde Pierce, Miles of the great show Frasier. He played "Brave" Sir Robin, Eric Idles part, who also wrote the musical. He was also incredible including one number called You Won't Succeed On Broadway(If You Don't Have Any Jew) He did a whole number just spoofing Jewish Musicals. Including Fiddler On The Roof where did the bottle dance, which got him an ovation. The next big name was Hank Azaria. He does like half the voices on the Simpsons. He could definatly do this show, where he played Sir Lancelot, and the French Taunter. Played orginally of course by John Cleese. One note about the show was that Cleese was the voice of God. I'm surprised he wasn't credited. Oh well. THe most amazing thing about the show was that the supporting cast could keep up with the big three and many times stole scenes from them. One BIG example of that was Sarah Ramirez. OMG!!!!! She was commanding and was the typical Broadway diva, which was her all around character, but she played the Lady Of The Lake, The Witch and The Cow!! They gave the cow that the French threw at the knights had its own song! Other great performers like Christopher Sieber,(who played Sir Galahad) Micheal Mcgrath(Patsy) Steve Rosen(Sir Bedevere) and Christian Borle( who for the record was the singing clerk in Thats On E-bay commerical. The songs were great. Of course they took the "Knights OF The Round Table" song. But they also included the " Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, and Hole OF The Universe from different movies. They include most of the famous scenes from the movie. THe black knight, which got an ovation. THe killer rabit, Prince Herbert. The knights that say Nie. The show was amazing the alubm is too. But if you want the full experiance, you might want to see the show.

...AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...
Take it from a Monty Python fan who's planning a New York trip around this production, this is a must have for an self-respecting Pythonier. This album features the current and original Broadway cast of the new musical (opened March 17, 2005) basedon the infamous "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."Python member Eric Idle co-produces, lovingly ripping off moments and songs from the original. Although there are more than enough new material to make up for such indiscretions, like the inclusion of Life of Brian's "Bright Side of Life."In fact, any fear of redundancy is squished as if by a big Flying Circus foot, when stars like David Hyde-Pierce, Tim Curry, Hank Azaria lend their talents and voices to giving a fresh face to this much revered material. And speaking of fresh faces, with the introduction of the Lady of the Lake, played by Sara Ramirez, who is only referenced briefly in the movie, Spamalot achieves new levels of Broadway satire. For example, Ramirez is featured in the hilarious "The Song That Goes Like This," and "Whatever Happened To My Part?" a shot atstage and divas in general.
Tim Curry (of Rocky Horror and the recent CD readings of the Lemony Snicket series) sounds terrific, his voice is better now than ever.While this is no substitute for see the production, I think, along with all of its links (like the historian's intros) the albumn creates a great feel for the stage show's energy.So Runnn Awwway to buy this CD.

A WONDERFUL ENTERAINING CAST ALBUM
I just purchased the cast album of Spamalot. Unfortinatly I haven't seen the play, but judging by the cast album it must be a very entertaining musical. I haven't enjoyed a cast album like this in a long time. I've played it over and over and I enjoy it more every time I play it. It's fun, tuneful, and the cast is just wonderful. I guess if you see the play you can actually come out humming songs, especially Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life. Listening to this song, it's like having Jerry Herman back on broadway. I highy recommend this CD.
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Things have gone ridiculously well for Coldplay in the three years since 2002's A Rush of Blood To The Head. The group's global album sales have soared past the 10-million mark, putting it in the same stratosphere as U2 and the Dave Matthews Band. People have offered up their bank accounts, cars and even bodies for tickets to its shows. And, in a nice twist, front man Chris Martin married Gwyneth Paltrow, setting the tabloid world aflame. Funny thing, then, that the British quartet's much-anticipated third album, X&Y, is all about keeping its feet on the ground. In the powerful opener "Square One," the singer insists people are fundamentally the same no matter their stature. "You just want/ Somebody listening to what you say," he sings. On "Fix You," Martin grapples with imperfection and missed opportunity: "When you love someone but it goes to waste/ Could it be worse?" Meanwhile, the vibrant first single, "Speed of Sound," is all about reconnecting with the spirit and soul in the face of the paparazzo's flashbulbs. Musically, the band has never sounded more adventurous, referencing everyone from Kraftwerk ("Talk") to the Pogues ("Swallowed In The Sea"), all the while sweeping aside those Radiohead-lite comparisons to embrace a massive, moving sound that makes simplicity seem sublime. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Like a human infusion of chamomile tea, hearing Van Morrison's voice has the ability to instantly to soothe even the most stressed listener. That said, some of his releases have been so sedentary that they muted the '60s soul influences that had been a part of Van's joyful appeal. Not so with Magic Time, a wonderful balance of groove and smoothness, with a "live off the floor" feel evident throughout the disc. Right off the top, "Stranded" shows Van at his crooner best; relaxed, present, and joyful. "Celtic New Year" comes next, with a very Astral Weeks feel, leading one to believe that this disc might be sedentary through and through until "Keep Mediocrity at Bay" kicks in, a feisty blues romp that shows that in his sixties, Morrison still has the sass of his best previous days. Van's cover of Sinatra's brassy "This Love of Mine" and Perry Como's "I'm Confessin'" are full of his cheek and charm. Morrison, as producer, has chosen stellar horn sections that elevates the music from good to great and comes from an obvious deep love of classic blues and soul. He's a lover and a fighter (the disc has two references to his disdain of the music industry ("They Sold Me Out" and "Carry On Regardless")), but ultimately true to his own musical vision. This destined-to-be-classic release will please a wide variety of his fans. --Denise Sheppard

vanthe man ( and the voice?)
stranded, celtic new year, just like greta, the lion this time, and gipsy in my soul are five masterpiece of the most emotional voice of the popular music. van is back on top again.

Waiting For The Man
I keep hoping very hard that the real Van Morrison will someday stand up again. I have been hoping for this for about the last 6 or 7 Van albums. As for Magic Time....well, where is the magic? I don't hear it or feel it coming from this recording either. I won't give up waiting though and even if Van never delivers the shivers again, I still have a vast treasure of older masterpeices to plug into. So for now, I will just keep my ears on the horizon searching and hoping for a possible full force gale.

I tip my top hat to you YA!
The best part of this album is the picture of fred estaire and ginger rogers wannabes on the cover, high-stepping, kicking out, and kick boxing.Morrisson moves into the realm of would-be, could-be (has been?) crooner/swooner Rod Stewart, with an easy transition into standards, jazz, and gangsta-rap.

Did you folks know I wear a top hat?

It's All Here
I have everything Van Morrison has ever recorded.Of course it's not all consistently great.Great artists who have longevity hit creative and performing peaks at different times and in different ways over an extended period of time.Some of the work on this album ranks up there with some of Morrison's best.It also brings together through different songs each of the major themes that underlie and run through his body of work as a whole.The Celtic mysticism, the incredible melodies, his bows to influences in R&B, jazz, and even popular song.His unique excellence has always (or at least since the early days with Them) been his capacity to weave it all together in a sound uniquely his.

Several of his more recent albums have more exclusively mined just one of these veins (not always that successfully), or seemed to have been more half-hearted efforts.However, to these ears, Magic Time, is an album which I believe is in line with some of his stronger work from the 80's and early 90's.

In the context of the range of music available - 5 stars.In the context of his own absolute best - 4 stars.If you like Van in the full range of his styles and influences, this is an album for you.If you favor only one or two of those personae, as seems to be the case with a couple reviewers, you will still find the few songs or more that grab you.

Van Morrison Has A Great Musical History!
This man has really made many classic albums!

Listen to Astral Weeks, Moondance and Irish Heartbeat which are must-buy for all Van Morrison fans.
This man is a very skillful player, compositor and performer!
Unfornately, Magic Time is the worst record this man has ever cut. Maybe he his losing his creativity and he should soon stop his awesome musical career. Every artist has their own house of holy and Van Morrison has made his own!
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Marked by a distinctly more middle-aged melancholy than her previous releases, Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm is a successfully conceived story album, following a couple through the life of their relationship. There is much for old and new fans here, as Mann lifts vignettes from the love-and-hate affair of a boxer and his girlfriend like sepia-toned snapshots from a county fair. In fact, it is in just one of those sticky, hot fairground parking lots where the romance blossoms and progresses "in the back of a Cadillac, that's her asleep in the mirror in back." The syncopated, bluesy melodies and strong ensemble of musicians make for a polished effort, and Manns gimlet eye doesnt miss much--from the seductive pain of addiction, bout-induced memory loss, and finally to the inevitable discussion about having (or not) a baby. If indigo is the mood for most of Mann's work, then The Forgotten Arm may be closer to lavender, given the seasoned humor and perspective evident in standout tracks such as "That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart" and "She Really Wants You." This one's a keeper. --Megan Halverson

Quality everywhere to be found
Listening to her is like turning on the radio in the seventies and hearing great singer/writer cuts that exude warmth and naturalness. The writing as always is trenchant and the production is superb. As if that weren't enough, the cd packaging is in book form replete with artwork / lyrics and a photo of Aimee on the back that is as beautiful as the music contained within.

The unique Aimee Mann has done it again.
Let's just say from the start that I have given up trying to be objective about Aimee Mann a long time ago. I fell in love with the woman's voice and songwriting abilities the minute I first heard "Voices Carry" in 1985 (which she recorded with her former band Til Tuesday) and followed her around ever since, through thick (the long overdue success of the "Magnolias" soundtrack) and thin (the strangely impersonal and generic "I'm with stupid", her only small misstep in a 20 year career as a recording artist). Her recordings have never ceased to amaze me for two very simple reasons : 1) This woman can WRITE songs that are at once compelling, memorable, catchy and deeply emotional 2) This woman has a singing voice that doesn't sound like anyone else's - the minute you hear her, you KNOW it's her.

This said, anyone who'll take a close listen to her latest album "The Forgotten Arm" will know that Aimee is still one of the most arresting artists of her generation. The album loosely follows the ordeals of two lovers on their path through addiction and alienation, and the music is the key that holds it together : a straightforward, earthy production that echoes vintage rock and roll, all the while sounding totally contemporary. Aimee has stripped down some of the chubbier production tricks of her previous solo albums, and delivered an album that's both richly textured and minimalistic. Of particular interest is the fact that she has been using the piano a lot more than before, and not just on ballads, giving back this underrated instrument its rightful place.

The songs are all amazing, but some of them are of particular interest. The debut single, "Going through the motions", is a clever and catchy pop-rock affair; however the real potential smash single is "I can't get my head around it", a song that will lodge itself in your brain forever. "I can't help you anymore", "King of the jailhouse" and "I was thinking I could clean up for Christmas" arejust as deserving, and the album finds its emotional core with the one-two punch of the achingly beautiful "Little bombs" and "That's how I knew this story would break my heart". "Dear John" and "Goodbye Caroline" are strong rockers and "Beautiful" concludes the album with lyrics that are both mournful and hopeful, leaving the listener to make up their own mind about the way this story ends.

Some will find that this album lacks the emotional depth and sonic adventureness of "Lost In Space", its predecessor; and while it's true that nothing here quite rivals songs like "Invisible Ink" (Aimee's crowning achievement as asongwriter), "It's Not" or "The Moth", this album succeeds exactly by NOT trying to imitate what has already been beautifully recorded. Aimee is a truly challenging artist and "The Forgotten Arm" is a great reminder of that.

That's Actually 3 and a half stars...
Aimee Mann makes me wish that records were still pressed on vinyl. I'd love to be able to look at the artwork and the lyrics in big print while I listen over and over. And as another reviewer noted, you have to listen over and over to get the hooks, which this cd has, but not as many as usual for Aimee. There are a couple of great songs on here ("Going Through the Motions" and "Video"), and a lot of really good ones ("King of the Jailhouse," "She Really Wants You," "I Can't Get My Head Around It" and "Little Bombs"); but this cd hooked me only about as much as "Whatever." If you're an Aimee Mann fan, you may find that this collection pales in comparison to the last two (but I'm a freak for "Bachelor No. 2," and "It's Not" from "Lost in Space" is the MOST PERFECT Aimee Mann song ever). Even a pale comparison, however, is better than 98.9% of what's on the market musically today.

A Cotton Candy Knockout

"The Forgotten Arm" has a melodic and harmonic beauty matching Aimee Mann's all-time best offerings.

There is a real sense of time and place to the sound here.The songs flow.If "I'm With Stupid" was a wintery Londonesque album this is a summertime Americana album, harking back to her Virginia roots, evoking a time and place with both the sounds and the imagery she employs right from the opening line: "Cotton candy was king on the midway that spring..."

Her voice has never been richer, delivering those trademark "low notes" right when it counts and showcasing her heavenly upper range on "Beautiful" and "That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart" - one of the most quietly tender and beautiful ballads she has written since "No One is Watching You Now" or "Ray."

Joe Henry deserves a lot of credit as well for his imagination in helping shape the sound.The injection of a little new blood makes a world of difference on "The Forgotten Arm," with great guitar work from Jeff Trott, punchy drumming at faster tempos, and a very tight core band that you can tell has been touring together for a while. The mix is fantastic with some extremely bold, shimmering, explosive sonics for a "stripped down" album.

For all the justified attention Aimee Mann's lyrics get, her music might just be even better.Nobody is writing catchier songs, and she is often at her best here.Though her songs are mostly about off-kilter relationships, even the cynical observations are wrapped in layers of humor, vivid imagery and sticky sweet music.The difference is in her cleverness and details.Nobody delivers a musical and lyrical combo punch as well as Aimee Mann.

As alongtime Mannlistener and Largo visitor
I find this album consistant with Mann's work...especially with what she has done apart from Jon Brion.Consistancy has it's good and bad points.If you are looking for beautiful melodies and well-constructed lyrics, you will not be disappointed.Every song is a pitch-perfect performance.
But maybe Mann is too consistant?In some ways it is all almost too controlled, too perfect.It would be nice to have her break out and let loose.Brion seemed to tap her impovisational spirit a bit more than her current producers.And the result was less consistant, but also less predictable.Even live Mann is consistant, each song sounding eerily likeher recording of it.Maybe that is what crowds want: the familiar.But I miss the exploration of the unmined spaces of a song that people like Brion (or Dylan, or Lucinda Williams)provide...and Mann sometimes allows herself and her audience.
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Early buzz on The Emancipation of Mimi had it that this would be the disc to mark "the return of the voice"the voice being that glass-shattering instrument that propelled Carey to best-selling female artist of all time statusand mostly it is. But because of the small army of talent involved in its assembly, it's also way more than that. For straight-ahead, look-out-Beyonce-Mimi's-still-got-it reinforcement, try "Mine Again," a 70s-soul cuddle-up, "Circles," a soaring, don't-attempt-this-on-American-Idol love song, the gospel dazzler "Fly Like a Bird," and "Stay the Night." But for songs that steer this disc directly into 2005, no looking back, scan the jewel case for the tracks followed by the word "featuring": "To the Floor," with Nelly, bumps along to maximum booty-shaking effect, while Twista spins his natural-disaster-force vocal into "One and Only." Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, and Jermaine Dupri also pitch in; between them and the highwire vocals, Emancipation works the kind of pure-pop magic that sets us all free. --Tammy La Gorce

The Comeback
I love this album, the songs on here are very beautiful, well written and well produced, and there is not a single filler on this CD. This album was very well received by the general public and the singles are doing extremely well on the charts. The single "We Belong Together" became Carey's 16th #1 single which puts her 4 singles ahead of Madonna, who is in second place in terms of greatest number of #1 singles amongst female artists. The album opened its first week with sales of just under 404 000 copies, which is the biggest first week sales of her career, and it's currently still in the top 5. At first, I didn't like the debut single "It's Like That" because it was too hip hop influenced and she was singing things I would expect to hear from Beyonce or Ashanti. But after quite some time, the single grew onto me from frequent radio play and now, I love the song. "We Belong Together" grew on me instantly because it was a typical Mariah Carey ballad. All in all, this is a fantastic album, like Butterfly, and if you have to get one CD this year, get this one cause it is off the charts, literally!

Lovin' Ms. Mimi!
Alright, Mariah's back after an almost 3 year solo haitus, and she's come back with a vengence! It's Like That was a great intro to a great album! We Belong Together gets Mariah her 16th #1, how sweet is that? Then we have the next single & my favorite track, Shake It Off! The track is just so much fun, it's amazing! Mine Again is a wonder ballad! The Neptunes produced tracks Say Somethin' & To The Floor may not be signature Mariah, but they are very catchy. Stay The Night is so emotional, & Kanye did a great job producing it. Get Your Number, the fourth JD produced track, is another catchy song. After all that, the ballad-love songs begin to roll! Your Girl, Circles, & I Wish You Knew may be considered filler, but being that they are back to back, they just seem to fit! Next is Joy Ride, which is aight. Lastly is Fly Like a Bird, which is another beautifully, emotional gospel song. Love the part where she belts "I need the strenth of you to survive" before she hits that extra high note. And for those that even think she's copying anyone else in the industry (Beyonce...) Uh, 1 year of solo hits doesn't compare to 10+, so get real.

What can we say?
What is there to say about a woman that has been around for 15 years through heartache, heartbreak, triumph and pain.This album is slamming. ONE OF HER BEST. I have almost all of her CD's and this is one of the best.Her range alone speaks volume but her ability to write a song, compose it and produce it speaks higher.Many are a good singer but few can write and produce.Her octaves are breath taking and just her confidence in herself is enough. I remember the first day I heard Vision of Love in the early 1990's.I said who is this singing?I have been hooked every since. The songs I love are:We belong together, Circles, It's like that,Say Somethin (with Snoop), To the Floor (Nelly) and for those who need inspiration she ends it with Fly Like a Bird.I am a singer and if my career takes off, this is someone I want to mirror.God bless you Mariah, thanks for sharing your gift of song with us.Thanks to the good Lord above for blessing her with the gift of song.READERS go and buy it.One of the best albums for 2005.Tee

Great Job, Mariah :-)
This album is so refreshing for me. It's been so long since we've all heard Mariah Carey. And I'm excited to report that it was worth the wait. I LOVE her voice and always have. This is the best album of 2005 so far.

1.3 Million and Counting!!!
Mariah has sold 1.3 million copies of her wonderful album, "The Emancipation of Mimi." She is currently #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her smash hit "We Belong Together." Her 16th #1 to be exact. Mariah is breaking records and defying expectations. She is solidifying her place in history as one of the greatest singers ever. Thanks to great production and songwriting, "The Emancipation of Mimi" will surely stand out as one of her best. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of another great run.
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Kelly Clarkson could have played her American Idol-propelled career much differently, languishing in the role of dippy ingénue or shunting her musical development by leaning too heavily on overnight stardom. Instead she dug in her heels and allowed good sense (or a good manager) to steer, and somewhere Simon Fuller and the rest of the TV gang ought to be smiling. Credit Breakaway, which couldn't be more aptly titled--the sophomore set represents a seismic split from the thin if pretty stuff debut Thankful set forth. Here we encounter Clarkson as superstar, with the humility that made her likable on the first disc tucked tightly under her arm. First single and leadoff track "Breakaway" topped the pop charts on arrival, and its rock-friendly thumps, dips, and rolls don't wear out their welcome; they blend, instead, into the firestorm of beats and guitars that is "Since U Been Gone," another shout-it-out rocker. Those songs set the tone for the rest of the disc in all its fury: The innocence is long gone, numbers including "Addicted" and "Hear Me" say collectively, and Clarkson's of a mind to kick it. The big, expressive voice ringed by the occasional high-pitch trill--the one that prompted millions to get behind her on Idol--doesn't dip entirely off the radar, though. On "Where Is Your Heart," and the stunning live closer "Beautiful Disaster," it's there in full force--a hint, maybe, that despite the wide, smart career step Breakaway represents, her fans come first. -Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Michael Bublé's assured debut and the tireless year of globe-trotting touring he spent promoting it elevated the 20-something Vancouver native into the first rank of pop crooner revivalists. His sophomore studio follow-up largely turns on the same formula that helped make his considerable vocal prowess so attractive to mainstream audiences, mixing the nigh flawless, if expected Sinatra-channeling ("I've Got You Under My Skin") with more playful and inviting renditions of pop standards like the Gershwin's "A Foggy Day in London Town," "Feeling Good," "Try A Little Tenderness" and Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin." But it's the eclectic mix of more contemporary material the singer seasons them with -- apt tribute to Bublé hero Bobby Darin -- that keeps him walking the narrow tightrope between artistic intrigue (a blues-tinged vamp of Holland-Dozier-Holland's "How Sweet It Is," Leon Russell's lovely "Song For You," with a guest turn by Chris Botti) and the kitsch-laden abyss ("Quando, Quando, Quando"'s Euro-centric duet with Nelly Furtado, a ring-a-ding-fling with the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" that echoes fellow Canadian crooner/rival Matt Dusk's more successful flirtation with Lennon-McCartney). Arranger/producer Tommy LiPuma offers Bublé a welcome swinging jazz showcase on "The More I See of You," a bracing respite from the rest of producer David Foster's slick, if typically bloodless MOR production.-- Jerry McCulley [Note: Aspecial edition including two bonus tracks--"Dream a Little Dream" and "Mack the Knife"--is also available.]

ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST STARS ON THE WORLDWIDE MUSIC SCENE
Michael Buble continues climbing the ladder of stardom with his latest CD "It's Time". I saw Michael sing "Feeling Good" on the David Letterman Show and his performance was truly outstanding. With his International appeal and record sales in the millions, it has now become very apparent that Michael Buble has truly found his audience and has become one of the brightest stars on the worldwide music scene.

With "It's Time" Buble has given his legions of fans exactly what we wanted, more of the same but with a bonus, an original song. This album like his first "Michael Buble" is a very well thought out mixture of well-loved standards, light rock, and classic pop hits with the addition of an excellent original called "Home". All thirteen of these songs are recorded and produced superbly and Michael's tremendous voice and performances just keep getting better and better. The addition of other well-known contempory artists on a few of the tracks makes this cd an extremely good value and I really like this formula of combining two or more wonderful talents to create great music. The sky is the limit for Michael Buble and if this CD is any indication it is going to be a very enjoyable ride.

If you like Sinatra and Swing, I would also suggest Monte Procopio's "Swingin' With Style". He is another crooner that can really swing with the standards.

The absolute best male singer today...
This man is one in a lifetime as far as I'm concerned. Ever since I was ateenager, and that was a long time ago, the sultry and sophisticated 'blues' sound of Frank, Dean, Tony, et al have kept me interested in 'real' music, and that's why I have played contemporary and Jazz piano for over 40 years.. the romance that is so delectable in a young persons' life -even if they don't know it at the time- is found- and will last- in Michael's music..thank God there is someone out there with the talent that Michael exhibits. His renditions are first rate by any standard, he brings new life and zip to old classics that the current generation(s) may not have even heard before. And his song "Home' almost brings me to tears every time I hear it.. isn't that something. Canada should get behind Michael as we have here a budding superstar of the magnitude of Celine Dion and even the untouchable GordonLightfoot.

What Can I Say?
Before i bought this album, I'd only heard a few songs, mostly from Michael's first album. I bought "It's Time" solely for the track "Home" (which is totally worth it!). I was very impressed with this whole album. It's very eclectic. Michael Buble's vocals are amazing and soothing all at the same time. His covers are creative and polished.

If you're looking for some great music, do yourself a favor and pick up anything by Michael Buble! You'll thank me for it!

Celebrate Michael Buble's musical magic!
It's Time is a celebration of musical magic! Michael Buble is a refreshing and welcome addition to the music scene. Celebrate how he manages to make every song on this cd his own and he accomplishes it with style and panache.

Since my purchase of It's Time it has been in steady rotation both in my car stereo and in the offices and will continue playing for a long long time. There is something on this album for all moods and it's refreshing to enjoy EVERY track on a cd for a change. Thank you Mr. Buble.

WOW
I love all genres of music but hold a special place for jazz in my heart. I bought Michael's album "Its Time" because I love jazz and those whose musical opinion I value gave it the thumbs up. I popped it in and listened to the first track, "Feeling Good". Starts slowly, unassumingly... then WOW, it starts swinging, he starts showing off his vocal prowess, and I sat there with my jaw dropped and knew INSTANTLY this guy was something special! Its rare that I like a song the very first time I hear it, I've never loved one the first time I heard it. I LOVED "Feelin' Good" the first time I heard it, and had the same reaction to track 4, "Quando Quando Quando." Most of these songs are covers you will recognize, but the really amazing thing is that Michael makes them sound different... you feel like you're hearing them for the first time. Michael's voice is like a hybrid between a young Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick Jr., but his style is 100% his own. I literally have not stopped listening to this album (all tracks are great) since I bought it. I am going to see Michael perform in Memphis this August (2005), and I couldn't be more excited! I am very thankful for such a wonderful young artist who is bringing this fabulous music to the masses (and to many young fans previously unexposed to jazz). This music- and Michael Buble'- should be celebrated!

When Madeleine Peyroux's debut, Dreamland, was released in 1996, its success threw her for a loop. She's taken eight years to create this follow-up, and, at age 30, she brings a confidence and resilience to this dozen-song set. She's able to move seamlessly between songs by writers as diverse as Elliott Smith and W.C. Handy, whose title track was popularized by Bessie Smith. Though American-born, Peyroux absorbed the language and culture of France growing up in Paris with her French-teacher mother. On her debut, she covered Edith Piaf, and this time out she wraps herself around "J'ai Deux Amours," which Josephine Baker sang to the Allied troops during World War II. --David Greenberger ... Read more

One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Wicked runs into the opposite problem: it has a great plot but too often the songs just get in the way. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, Wicked tells us what happened between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy showed up in Oz. And the show is lucky to boast a pair of ace leading women in the main roles. As Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth delivers a sensational star turn, displaying a crystal-pure voice and sharp comic timing; Idina Menzel lends her powerful pipes to the tricky role of Elphaba. Unfortunately, you wish they had better material to work with. Stephen Schwartz's pop score is often dragged down by overly synthetic orchestrations and sentimental lyrics (think Chicken Soup for the Witch). Still, at its best Wicked is a seductive slice of popular entertainment that could well give a younger audience a lasting taste for musical theater. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (241)

Incredible
Although I've been a huge admirer of both Kristin Chenowith and idina Menzel for a few years now, I was not sure what to expect upon first hearing this soundtrack. Actually, I ended up seeing the show on broadway, and buying the CD the day after because i couldn't get enough of this music! Stephen Schwartz has made a brilliant creation, and couldn't have gotten better voices to sing it. The vocal harmonies are beautiful throughout. Defying Gravity, the real showstopper (much thanks to Ms. Menzel's UNBELIEVABLE voice), gave me almost as big of a chill when hearing it on the soundtrack as it did in live performance. Ms. Chenowith's lovely voice carries songs as well, and the song Popular is cute and funny, while showing off her vocal talent. Aside from Defying Gravity, my favorite songs are I'm Not That Girl (sung by Ms. Menzel), and the love ballad As Long as You're Mine. It's a fun, entertaining musical more full of emotion than I had expected it would be. Between Norman Leo Butz, and the two leading women, I can hardly put into words the feeling that their voices produce- you have to hear it to know! This is definitely one of the best new broadway shows to come about since RENT, and I hope it has a long, successful run.

Deliciously wicked and most definately wonderful
Being of fan of the original novel and ecstatic that a musical was made from the book, I bought the CD the day it was available. It is pure and simple magic. Idina Menzel, who's voice blew me away on the OBC of Rent, proves her power and stands right up there with the superb Kristen Chenowith. I've been playing the CD non-stop since Decemeber, and with great fortune and luck, I was able to see the actual Broadway show this past weekend...front row lottery tickets. The power and majesty of this show cannot be conveyed on this CD, but it comes very close. Seeing all these perfomers dance, sing, and act the songs I fell in love with cannot be described. You'll have to see it for yourself. There's not a bad song in the show or on the CD...these songs, standing alone on the CD out of context from the show, are enough to move anyone. From Idina's perfect 'The Wizard and I' to 'No Good Deed,' from Kristen's comic songs to ballads, from their duets together (no two voices have ever matched better), and from Norbert Leo Butz's 'Dancing through Life' to 'As Long as Your Mine,' this CD is a definate to buy and share!

AMAZING
If you haven't seen the play... you must go NOW!!! Idina Menzel who plays Elphaba (Wicked Witch) is amazing and awesome to watch... I've seen the play twice and hope to see it again!! If there were such thing as 6 stars... This musical absolutly deserves it!

Sublime...
Miss Kristin Chenoweth... If there is a greater star on the rise on the great white way I dare you to name her. I spend my days puttering around in my care listening to Ariella Vaccarino's must-have CD series "Voice Lessons to Go" in preparation for the moment I put the real deal on here and try my best to match the vocal styling of Ms. Chenoweth... and fail (but maybe with these vocal CDs I've been listening to... who knows). Anyway, the woman is a queen of the stage at the moment and this recording is a vocal photograph of a true star in the midst of her prime. I highly recommend buying it.

Wicked Rocks!
You wouldn't expect a teenager to love broadway music, but Wicked has me hooked!I can't get enough of "The Wizard and I" and "Defying Gravity".Other great tunes on the cd are "Popular", "As long as you're mine","I'm not that girl", and "Popular". The vocalists are fabulous, the tunes are catchy, and its a fun cd to listen to! If you want to hear a GREAT CD, listen to Wicked!
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It is not just the timbre of Norah Jones's voice that is mature beyond her 22 years. Her assured phrasing and precise time are more often found in older singers as well. She is instantly recognizable, blending intimations of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone without sounding like anyone but herself. Anyway you slice it, she is a singer to be reckoned with. Her readings of the Hank Williams classic, "Cold Cold Heart" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" alone are worth the price of the CD. Jones's own material, while not bad, pales a bit next to masterpieces such as these. They might have fared better had she and producer Arif Mardin opted for some livelier arrangements, taking better advantage of brilliant sidemen such as Bill Frisell, Kevin Breit, and Brian Blade; or if the tunes had simply been given less laconic performances. Jones has all the tools; what will come with experience, and some careful listening to artists like J.J. Cale and Shirley Horn, is the knack of remaining low-key without being sleepy--sometimes less is not, in fact, more. --Michael Ross ... Read more

Reviews (1262)

"Come Away With Me".....I would!
A buddy, affectionately known as 'That Ricky Guy,' discovered that I had never heard of Norah Jones. Well, he thought so much of this unique and gifted song stylist (and of me, for some reason) that he gifted me with a copy of this CD. I pay attention to Ricky's musical evaluations because he is the only still-living person I know who was actually there at Carnegie Hall in 1961 to witness Judy Garland's Ultimate Triumph (though he was probably on his mama's knee), and he said Norah Jones is good. He's right. He's definitely right!

It's human nature for us, hearing a singer for the first time, to make the inevitable comparisons....and I did just that listening to Norah. There were touches of Peggy Lee, I thought...certainly Rita Coolidge...Blossom Dearie, though the voice isn't that fragile...some of Nina Simone's subtle emotion. And of course she's a jazz singer, but there sure is a touch of country in that delivery of hers, maybe even a gentle hint of smokey coffee-house folk singers. But finally it dawns on you that Norah Jones, this young girl with a talent far older than she herself, has seduced you....reeled you right in with her OWN individual brand of musical magic.

Just as I didn't know Norah until this evening, many of the songs were also new to me....but I'm sure will become old friends. I especially loved "One Flight Down," and the title song she wrote herself, as well as "Nightingale" and "The Long Day Is Over." Of course my favorites were the two familiar standards, "Cold, Cold Heart" and "The Nearness Of You" (let's face it....I'm basically stuck back there in time wanting more details of Garland's encores from my friend Rick) but I really do think Ms. Jones would be doing herself (and us) a great service if she borrowed a page from Diana Krall and recorded an entire album of the old classics. She has the genuine talent to give new life to old chestnuts...and she should!

Music To My Ears
I grew up in the sixties and am not a fan of most of today's music. Popularity and Grammy Award wins normally don't persuade me to buy an album. However, Norah Jones's invitation to "Come Away With Me" was too hard to resist. I fell in love with her voice and enjoyed every song on the album. The tasty arrangements, performed by outstanding musicians, not to mention her own melodic piano playing, perfectly complimented Norah's sensual, seductive voice. For me, the music recreated the atmosphere of a late night jazz club. "Don't Know Why" is one hit song that I never get tired of hearing. I was especially impressed by the arrangement of Hank Williams's country classic "Cold Cold Heart." She transformed it from a honky-tonk lament into a jazz ballad. J.D. Loudermilk's "Turn Me On," when performed by Ms. Jones, had the desired effect on me that the writer intended. The melancholy "The Long Day Is Over" effectively conveyed weariness, suggesting that it's time for the sleepy patrons to finish their drinks and go home, because even late night jazz clubs have to close sometime. Closing out the album with Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness Of You" implied that Norah will not be going home alone. "I need no soft lights to enchant me, if you'll only grant me the right, to hold you ever so tight, and to feel in the night the nearness of you." This album totally won me over and turned me into a Norah Jones fan.

GET AWAY FROM ME
Cold, calculating, but ultimately callow Upper Middle Class pop jazz from an Ice Queen who sings with all the soul of a doorstop. If this is indeed Ravi Shankar's daughter, she inherited not one iota of her father's passion and artistry. Phony through and through.

Beautiful, distinguished voice and sophisticated music.
In a world where the new "singing sensations" are the unoriginal screamers who participate to "American Idol" and similar TV monstrosities, it's really refreshing to witness the rise of a REAL talent with a REAL music background and an exceptional panache for musical "buon gusto."

Norah doesn't have a "big" voice, so what? Neither did Billie Holiday, but I'll take her over any screamer at any time. It's not by chance that I mentioned Billie Holiday, because that's the kind of voice Norah reminds me of, and I simply love it. Sultry, smoky and haunting are the three adjectives that immediately come to my mind.

On to the music, Norah's songs are a delightful blend of country, blues and jazz, all encased by electronic-free arrangements (i.e. real singers need no walls of synthesizers and special effects to cover the flaws of their voice...) and some very tasteful but unobtrusive piano playing by Norah herself.

I basically like all songs in this album, but my favorites are the title track ("Come Away with Me", a really delightful jazzy waltz), "Don't Know Why" (a Pat Metheny-esque tune featuring a beautiful melody and an exceptionally tasteful arrangement) and the amazing "The Nearness of You", where Norah showcases her incredible ability to perform immortal standards with nothing behind her voice but her own superb piano accompaniment.

The fact that this album received 8 Grammy awards makes me a little less pessimistic on the future of pop music.

cub away wif be
Norah Jones... either she ought to have her deviated septum fixed or she was suffering from a head cold when she cut this album. In either case, perhaps Amazon should put together a two-cd deal featuring Norah Jones and one of Jonathan Richman's records. Stuffy-nose pop fans, rejoice!But seriously folks, this stuff is not music. If you want to hear comatose jazz stylings, check out Blossom Dearie Sings Comden and Green or her version of Someone to Watch Over Me. This is pure heroin. You bang it in the mainline and fall back on the flophouse bed with the hypo still sticking out of your arm. Norah Jones, on the other hand, is not satisfied until her tracks ramp up to some up-tempo peak of countryfication. Just so you know she means it when she whispers out, "Cub away wif be... inna dight." Sounds suspiciously like the cold sufferer on a Nyquil commercial.
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The Killers. Interpol. Franz Ferdinand. Without New Order's influence they could have all ended up making albums of country & western ballads. Since the demise of Joy Division in 1980, the British synth-pop quartet has been diligently changing the course of popular music, lobbing unlikely but inventive hits like "Blue Monday" and "True Faith" into the charts. Twenty-five years on, New Order remains shockingly vital. Its eighth proper album overflows with shimmering melodies, anchored by Peter Hook's spine-tingling bass lines and Bernard Sumner's thin but emotive voice in thrilling new songs like "Krafty" and "Dracula's Castle." -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Will someone please steal this album from me?
Why the odd title?I drive a little over a half hour (each way) to and from work, and since I bought this album I have listened to it over and over.(I know, dumb eh?)

At first listen I thought "Get Ready" was a far superior album, but I found that the more I listened the more I heard.By far a much more progressive album for New Order, but still classic sounding that fits the fact that "yes, New Order was an 80's band", but this is their new album that is so 21st century.A worthy addition to any collection, whether rock, pop, 80's, or synth.

Refreshing....!!!!!
In am an old Joy Division fan and have followed New Order ever since.When Technique came out in 1989 I could not stop playing it when I was in Brunei of all places.Since then I have had kids, etc. etc. but still love to listen to music.My favorite station is http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/.So when they started playing the new NO some months ago I could not believe my ears and straight away pre-ordered it on www.amazon.com. It took some getting used to but now it is the CD I play most in the car and it brings tons of smiles to my face.The kids may not like it too much but for me it brings back good memories and it is so refreshing to see that old 'rockers' can still bring out a record that surely must be one of the top ten of this year.If you like their record and have not discovered BBC1 go to their website and listen to the live show or the various shows from the previous week which are all accessible on their 'player'.If you pay $12/month here for satellite radio then think again...

Alt-rock icons make us feel like its 1992 all over again.
New Order's history is filled with mournful iciness, sublime electro-disco, seminal Britpop and episodes of portly overblown grandeur. And, depending on what moves them, the band's fans always seem to gravitate toward one of these elements more than the others. To that end, Waiting For The Sirens' Call offers something for everyone: "Turn" has that 1986 college-rockin' jangle that'll make elderly R.E.M. fans tingle. For the synth- and sequencer-damaged among us, there's the electrolytic "Krafty" and the disco workout "Guilt Is A Useless Emotion." Going off on another tangent, "Workin' Overtime" is the band's simultaneous nod to '60s garage rock, the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" and that last Elvis Costello album.

The axis of mystery and implied arrogance that made New Order compelling may be gone, but that's okay; none of us is the same person we were decades ago. As far as right now goes, Waiting For The Siren's Call is a fine distillation of everything New Order have been. And when you've got a passport that's as thick as theirs, it's admirable that they refuse just to walk away from this thing entirely.spin j.p

Definitely not an "instant hit" album!
Waiting for the sirens' call will NOT hook you immediately. It's not that kind of album. There isn't any obvious hits, except Who's Joe, Krafty or Jetstream.
When I played it the first time I was kind of bored. Too many songs didn't hook me, sounded just "ok" and after Get Ready, I was disappointed.
However, days passed and I didn't play the album - didn't want to! And then, when I played it again after a week or so, out of nowhere, I started to like the songs! One by one, they PERFECTLY matched each other - carrying specific mood.

Now I think it's one of their better releases - much better than, for example, Republic and on par with Get Ready (I like that album very much).
It's incredible how this album works! If you like New Order, you'll certainly love this album. Do NOT expect to like it on the first listen! You probably won't - maybe just 3-4 songs!

This album has some ultimate NO gems and classics: Who's Joe?, Waiting for the siren's call, Dracula's Castle, Turn. They are magnificent!

There are no fillers here, excet that I don't like "I told you so" that much - interesting, but not my cup of tea, and "Guilt is a useless emotion" has some kind of generic chorus. That's a shame, considering that the song starts extremely well! Just the chorus isn't that memorable. But great for a summer fun! :)

All in all, a very very solid effort. As the time goes by, I expect that I'll like this album even more. It's THAT kind of a record. So refreshing these days - I'm fed up of instant hits that I get bored with after few weeks/months.

Just another perfect album!
At first listen I did not like Waiting For the Siren's Call as much as New Order's last album Get Ready. This album is just as good as Get Ready. If you want a perfect album from a great band. Pick up Waiting for the Siren's Call and Get Ready, Get Ready was the best album of 2001 in my eyes. WFTSC is going to be in the running this year.

Dear, New Order

Why havn't you toured the US other than a couple of dates. Please come to Pittsburgh.

It's perhaps inevitable that Keane's debut album, Hopes and Fears, will draw numerous comparisons to Coldplay. Like them, Keane were discovered by indie label Fierce Panda, who released a single ("Everybody's Changing"). And, like Coldplay, Keane also do a fine trade in catchy and heartfelt indie-pop, all bruised verses and soaring choruses. But though their sound is sure to please fans of Coldplay and Travis, the reality is that Keane manage to sound that little bit more delicate. This could be down to the band's relatively unusual make-up: rather than guitars, the trio use a piano.

At its best, Hopes and Fears is reminiscent of Bends-era Radiohead and singer Tom Chaplin's voice is closer to Thom Yorke's falsetto than Chris Martin's cracked whine. On tracks such as the hit single "Somewhere Only We Know," they manage to squeeze an epic-sounding poignancy from their stripped-down sound (a lot of this is due to the album's superb production). Across 10 tracks, all this slow-burning melancholy skates a bit close to self-indulgence and you can't help but wish they'd rock out a bit. But Hopes and Fears is still a remarkable and surprisingly mature debut album from a young band with a bright future. --Robert Burrow

A Refreshing Album
All the people comparing this album to Radiohead and Coldplay obviously aren't fans of either band. They're kind of like this friend I have who hears a song and says "hey, don't you think this band sounds like..." This is a really good album with several songs that you'll sing at the top of your lungs as you cruise down the street (This is the Last Time, Bend and Break, Can't Stop Now). Everyone wants to compare Coldplay to Radiohead because Chris Martin was strongly influenced by Thom and the boys, but the music is quite different if you actually listen to all of their albums. Now people want to lump Keane in with those two outstanding bands and say that nothing distinguishes them. The thing that distinguishes bands like these is the fact that these bands write songs that mean something. When bands strive to do this, the songwriter's soul is bare. Thom Yorke, Chris Martin, and the boys from Keane are different people with different experiences and that comes out in the music. If you want to talk about generic music, then look no further than American rock music. Before the Strokes and the White Stripes took off, who didn't sound just like everyone else? This is a good album and is worthy of a listen, but if you are not a big fan of Coldplay or Radiohead then you might feel like some of these other reviewers. By the way, what exactly is wrong with Coldplay? Nothing.

A bold and brilliant move
The biggest thing anyone who is considering this album should know is that there are no guitars. Although almost every rock band for the last 50 years has depended on guitars for the essence of their sound, here the axe does not seem to matter one bit. Although it is easy to compare them to other British pop bands such as Coldplay, they are certainly not the same. Instrumentation aside, Tom Chaplin is an excellent singer with a wide range, and this is utilized to full effect on Hopes and Fears. The songwriting is top-notch, and there are plenty of songs that seem to resonate with me, either due to their catchiness or cleverness. Some of my favorites are "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Can't Stop Now", but there are other slower songs that are equally compelling and well done. Perhaps I simply have a tendency to favor piano based tunes over guitar based, but this album is a welcome change from guitar thrashing, and extremely well produced and planned. I would recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed British Music in the post-Oasis era.

GET IT !
If you're even doubting about getting out and getting this album, DON'T. This is one of the greatest album I've even bought. The music and lyrics go perfectly in sync with each other. The band does a perfect job staying true to their songs. In a world filled with tampered pop music, this is so untouched, raw. It's exquisite. Go out and get it, you will defnitely not regret it.

Keane is Amazing!
As soon as I heard the single Somewhere Only We Know, I was amazed by Keane. They remind me of Coldplay, but I think they are much better! Their album is awesome and I can't get enough of it. Some of my favorite songs Somewhere Only We Know, Everybody's Changing, and Bedshaped. Anyone who hears the lead singers voice will fall in love with it! The combination of piano, bass, drums, and Tom Chaplins' unbelievable voice has made Keane one of my favorite bands, and I recommend that everyone give them a chance, you will not be disappointed! I have been telling everyone I know about Keane, and I listen to them constantly! I can't wait for them to tour the U.S. again, I will be sure to go see them live.

Forget about all the comparisons......
...just listen. Keane are very good at what they're doing. If you've heard their singles and liked them, the album will not disappoint you.
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What's great for Ben Folds fans true fans, not the kind who signed on after hearing 1997's un-Ben-like radio hit "Brick" is that Songs for Silverman picks up right where the excellent Ben-comes-into-his-own Rockin' the Suburbs left off in 2001. These are heartfelt songs: sometimes cheeky and occasionally heartbreaking. "Gracie," written in a hopeful key for Folds' young daughter, unravels to playful but brilliant piano plinks; "Late," for the departed singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, sidesteps straight-on sadness to convey a sense of lost camaraderie; and the clear-eyed "Landed," delivered in Folds' unadorned, tree-trunk sturdy voice, will inspire untold revelations for those stuck in stalled relationships. The music, meantime, maintains its sharp edge: "You to Thank" juts out with the help of a two new players in a celebratory jazz direction, while "Give Judy My Notice" dabbles in country and a chorus swells for "Jesusland." Throughout, Folds' piano work remains a pop-music goodie bag that defies duplication. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Decent CD but BEWARE!!!
The music is pretty good (though still not as good as Ben Folds Five), and the DVD features are kind of a cool bonus.But frankly, I would rather have had just the music in a format that would play on all my CD players.The audio side would only play on 2 of the 4 players I tried it on (haven't tried my car yet which is obviously important).

"Why you gotta Act Like You Know When You Don't Know"?
Ben Folds brings a certain classicism with his signature style on SONGS FOR SILVERMAN.It is obvious that Folds is a brilliant songwriter, vocalist, and phenomenal pianist. The reason I think that Folds is underrated as an artist is because he is for some an "aquired taste" per say.He isn't your typical rock or pop artist.He is in the elite league of the "piano-power" artist which includes himself, Tori Amos, and recently Vanessa Carlton.I think that if more people were to hear Folds, he would surely be more popular because as an artist, he has a lot to offer.I'd be certain that if more jazz listeners were to hear him just play they'd certainly be wowed by his pianistic skills (I'm a jazz listener and musician that is wowed).

But SONGS FOR SILVERMAN did give Folds his largest opening as well as his largest debut numerically.The biggest trap that Folds falls into is filler material. The best song is offered right at the beginning and it is "Bastard" which experiments with odd meter and an incredibly enthralling fuzzy bass line. His incredibly catchy line is the title of this review "Why you gotta act like you know when you don't know", he sings enthusiastically.

"You To Thank" and "Jesusland" are fine tracks as well. And there are certainly other enjoyable listens.The true highlight is "Bastard" though. Folds piano skills and his vocal sophistication are flawless on hits as well as non-hits.This music has a light feel that is not boring in the least.This is a very nice album.4 stars.

Where is The G.I. Folding Action????
I Went To A Ben Folds Concert To See Ben Fold Something...Boy was I dissapointed!

A Must Listen For Any Fan
This latest release from Ben Folds is by far his most mature offering, and not simply for a second song written for his children. The lyrics are incredibly witty and real, not unlike the story-like albums "Ben Folds Five" and "Naked Baby Photos." Ben continues to make dynamic and gripping rock 'n roll with his piano, while delivering vocal tracks that make you swear he hasn't spent most of the last decade on tour. For anyone who will have an appreciation of where this album fits into his life, pick it up and listen to it. Again and again and...

Silversongs for man
Ben Folds, completely ignored in France, deserves all the attention of all those which likes the pop one and the songwriters with subtle melodies and refined harmonies. I draw the attention of those particularly, inconsolable as I am to it myself, of the disappearance of Elliott Smith. Because Ben Folds forms part of this family of musicians who can find melodies and athmosphères immediately captivating without never falling into the facility. The two men knew each other and estimated themselves mutually. Ben Folds offers to us besides in this album "Late" a very beautiful song dedicated to Elliott, simple, and direct - one could not make any more beautiful homage. If Elliott were a guitarist: Ben Folds is a pianist (and a good one !). All its songs are arranged around a base piano-bass-battery (traditional formation for the jazz but less in the pop one, Ben not hesitating besides flirting with jazz, as in "You to thank".) Strings, choruses and guitars come enjoliver these beautiful melodies. Its texts are full with humour, full with an irony which would surely make smile Randy Newman itself ("You to thank", again). One will appreciate this familiarity which one immediately has with the musical universe of Ben folds, who releases an obviousness which had with the musical culture of the artist and the very personal transformation of his pop influences into catchy songs. One will precipitate several times of continuation on Jesusland and especially Landed, potential hit, which would have made green of jealousy the Elton John of the great time - that of Tiny Dancer.
It should be noted that this disc exists in a Dualdisc edition: a universalCd side, a DVD side. the dvd one has the advantage of offering one mix 5.1 of the album, a making of of the album which introduces Ben Folds well, and an alternate version of Landed with strings which does not have anything gadget.
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The Beatles' last days as a band were as productive as any major pop phenomenon that was about to split. After recording the ragged-but-right Let It Be, the group held on for this ambitious effort, an album that was to become their best-selling. Though all four contribute to the first side's writing, John Lennon's hard-rocking, "Come Together" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" make the strongest impression. A series of song fragments edited together in suite form dominates side two; its portentous, touching, official close ("Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End") is nicely undercut, in typical Beatles fashion, by Paul McCartney's cheeky "Her Majesty," which follows. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (747)

Abbey Road
...By the time 1969 rolled around the Beatles were in ruins. Their previous effort involved extreme experimentation on each band member's part, and the band began to drift apart. The project earlier that year that was supposed to bring them back together only made things worse. For their next album, the band wanted to bring back record producer George Martin, but he said he'd only produce if every band member was in the studio, just like the good old days. The band accepted, and the band began recording Abbey Road, what would ultimately be their final recording as a fully-functional unit.

Once again, we get an album of mostly Lennon/McCartney material. Harrison contributes two songs, and Starkey one. Come Together kicks off the album. Basically it's a mid-tempo rocker with various words thrown together that make no sense. I Am The Walrus showed us that the band could achieve enormous success doing this, and here they do it again! Track two is the first of George's songs to appear here - Something. This is a very melodic ballad with some of the finest guitar playing in rock and roll history. As another review stated, Frank Sinatra once called this "the greatest romance song of all time." Number three is another of the band's "joke" songs, Maxwell's Silver Hammer. It's a very "happy" song, despite its content about a boy murdering two college professors and a judge. Most people don't think too highly of the joke songs, but I think this is the band's best one. Oh Darling comes next, and here the band was going for a "fifties" sound. They pull it off nicely. The next track featured here is Ringo's only featured song here. Basically it's a cheerful tune about living under the sea, almost a children's song. Despite that comment, this track is nothing short of excellent. George's second track featured on this album is the acoustic ballad, Here Comes The Sun. This is a GREAT track, arguably the finest one he ever released with the band. You Never Give Me Your Money kicks off the B-Side of the album, which contains several tracks that fade into one another. I like to call them the "Abbey Road Medley." This is a a track that starts with a slow and melodic sound, but soon becomes a rocker that is very true to the band's style. It fades into Sun King, a very weird song featuring passages in various languages. Don't worry, it's not NEARLY as weird as Revolution 9. Soon enough, it fades into Mean Mr. Mustard. Despite the fact that the track is about a mean old man, it's one of the band's most cheerful songs. It fades into a song about the title character's sister, Polythene Pam. Here the band delivers an excellent fast and frantic rocker about a woman who is "so good looking but she looks like a man." Does that make any sense at all? Oh well, it doesn't matter. The song itself is very good. It fades into yet another track, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window. This is a very basic rocker, but it's an excellent one nonetheless. Eventually we reach The End (that's the name of a track.) This one kicks off with an awesome instrumental session, and soon enough becomes a brief melodic session you can't help but love. The final track is the often overlooked Her Majesty. It's just a short (twenty-three seconds) song about the queen. It's not the masterpiece the rest of the album is, but it's still a good song. Abbey Road is one of the greatest rock albums of all time, period. If you like rock and roll and you don't own this album, you're contradicting yourself.

EPILOGUE: Following the release of this album, the band finally split up, and each member went onto a solo career. Just after they split up, the Let It Be album was finally released. John Lennon proved to be an excellent solo musician, and even co-wrote a song entitled Fame for David Bowie. Sadly, he was assassinated in December of 1980 by a deranged fan. Rest in peace, John. Likewise, George Harrison obtained enormous success in his solo career. His first release as a solo artist, All Things Must Pass, demonstrated this well. He continued releasing excellent songs, and even played on Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down. Sadly, an illness clamed his life in late November of 2001. Ringo Starr also became a successful solo artist, and recently put together his All-Starr band. He still tours. Likewise, Paul McCartney ALSO became a successful solo artist, and he still tours. The Beatles may be long gone, but their spirit will always live on.

Greatest album ever made
Abbey Road is quite simply the strongest album ever made. Side one kicks off with "Come Together" which is a mean little romp through Lennon's perspective on his own life, and quickly leads into a beautiful love song by George, "Something." This song leaves you thinking that even though this guy's madly in love, something's just not wuite right in the relationship. Next come two fun tunes, "Octopus's Garden" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (only the Beatles could pull off either of these songs sucessfully) split by McCartney's vocal tour de force "Oh Darling." A guitar jam follows (I Want You) and leaves your adreneline pupmed for what is to follow. Side two is a roller coaster ride of textures, melodies and jams woven together in a magical tapestry with hints of themes sticking with you just barely. When you think you've got hold of one song you're on to another. You can listen to this CD in the worst of moods and when you're done you'll be in a good mood. I promise.

Simply The BEST BEATLES ALBUM
I was 11 when this album came out, and have loved it since. The Fab four were rockin' on all cylinders when they bade farewell with this one. The vocal harmonies were at their best, and Paul's power was right on in OH Darling. Paul's fancy bass work was never more evident than in "I Want You". This will always be my favorite album, so much so, that in my will I have stated that if I should "go out" naturally, that this album should be played at the time I reach Golden Slumbers. Not kidding........Miss you guys!

good but still lacking
Take out the songs that you can't even listen to such as /She So Heavy/Sun King/Because/- these are songs which lack creativity and rhythm. And why put in You never give me your money, it has the same rhythm as Carry that Weight. Why did they end in the ridiculous Her Majesty, and why is this overrated?...It is mere lyrics with simple beat. The Golden Slumbers lullaby is a brilliant ending. Come Together is an amazing beginning. Octopus' Garden and Maxwells silver hammer are very creative and essential to the Beatles culture. Mean Mr Mustard- what is the purpose of this song, Poythene Pam is humourous- (for whoever can understand the humour. The album needs editing, its needs filtering. It needs to be more concise in terms of style. Mixing good songs with crappy songs will produce a moderate album- which is exactly what Abbey Road is!

I read some revues from people who say this is good.
I read some revues from people who say this is good.You know what I say to that?

(...)

OF COURSE THIS IS NOT GOOD. IT IS STUPID AND BORING AND A DULL TREAT. BUT I HEARD ALL HIPPY BANDS ARE LIKE THAT.

IT SHOULD REALLY ALL BE FORGOTTEN FOR IT IS MEANINGLESS NOISE ONLY THERE TO CONPHUSE PEOPLE.
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This is not the typical example of an artist from another genre jumping on the crowded standards-and-ballads bandwagon. When I Fall in Love instead represents an instrumental stylist busting out of a box to find a much more suitable platform for his craft. These tracks are the fruits of an obvious labor of love for everyone from the featured musicians to the arrangers to the engineers. The arrangers, particularly Billy Childs and Gil Goldstein, give Botti's trumpet a broad-brushed orchestral backdrop that allows him to emerge from the swirling strings and bouncy horns with bold strokes of creative improvising. Some tracks are obvious nods to Gil Evans and the lush arrangements of 1970s CTI recordings. Even the guest vocalists, Sting and Paula Cole, let his trumpet sing first before their respective cues on "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" and "What'll I Do." The only blemish here is the obvious attempt at smooth jazz airplay with Sade's "No Ordinary Love." --Mark Ruffin ... Read more

Nobody makes somber sound more exquisite than Alison Krauss. She's come an awfully long way from her days as a teenage fiddle prodigy, as her glamour gown on this CD's cover suggests and the bittersweet maturity of the music confirms. Krauss exchanges her bluegrass fiddle for the chamber strains of viola on much of the material, including four songs by Robert Lee Castleman (whose "The Lucky One," "Let Me Touch You for Awhile," and "Forget About It" were previously popularized by Krauss). Castleman's compositions showcase the emotional intimacy and interpretive subtlety of her breathy trill. The yearning harmonies on "Wouldn't Be So Bad" (written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings) and "Borderline" (written by Sidney and Suzanne Cox) reinforce the album's restless spirit of quiet desperation. Change-of-pace contributions by Krauss's bandmates are more deeply rooted in the bluegrass/folk tradition, with Dan Tyminski renewing Del McCoury's "Rain Please Go Away" and Woody Guthrie's populist anthem "Pastures of Plenty"; Dobro master Jerry Douglas leads the charge on his instrumental "Unionhouse Branch." Few bands in bluegrass can match the virtuosity of Union Station's interplay, but the artistry of Alison Krauss transcends genre. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Pop's rush to raid the cradle continues with this promising debut by 25-year-old Canadian singer Michael Bublé. And while the young vocal star's good looks are smart enough for a boy band, his muse seems to have sprung from a more sassy and compelling musical era. Mentored by Paul Anka (whose '50s hit "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" is covered in dreamy, cabaret fashion here), Bublé sings in the orbits of Darin and Sinatra, covering swing epoch gems ("Come Fly with Me," "The Way You Look Tonight," "That's All") and rock era standards (Van Morrison's "Moondance," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by the Brothers Gibb, Queen's "Crazy Little Ting Called Love") with equal aplomb. David Foster's production is typically slick and played to the back row of the bleachers, but it's informed by smart contexts provided by such arrangers as Johnny Mandel, Randy Waldman, and Mike Melvoin. If the choices of material are sometimes staid and predictable, they also give the singer a crucial framework for building toward something more challenging; his is a bright future. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (345)

I Like this CD - A Lot
I just bought this CD 3 days ago, and I've played it probably 10 times already. Its a pretty good album - Michael Buble has a very good - although Sinatra/Torme/Connick - sounding voice. The arrangements are well made too - but Just The Way You Look Tonite should have preferably been arranged as a slow croon rather than bossa nova style.

I usually look into the Tower reviews to see if anybody else liked the CD's I buy, and it seems that a lot of other people like MB as well as I do. There are however a few people who really blasted him in their reviews. Not only blasted, but outright insulted him - a Karaoke singer!? Really now. Around 10 of 155 reviewers gave him 1-3 stars, and all I can say is that talent is in the ears of the beholder (or in this case, the listener). Measuring MB on the review scale, he is most obviously a talented singer who has moved his audience.

I hope MB comes out with his own album of The Great American Songbook. I'll be looking forward to hearing it, and reading the reviews.

Harry Connick Jr. eat your heart out!
I first heard Michael Buble in the film DOWN WITH LOVE. I turned to my friends and asked "Who is that singing? He's great!" But I didn't think about the unknown singer for weeks.

Then I was in a CD store with the same friends and one turned to me and said "You must get this CD. This is the guy you liked from DOWN WITH LOVE." Well, I bought the CD and rushed home to listen to it.

This guy has real talent. Harry Connick Jr. may be a fine musician but he is but "a poor man's Sinatra" next to a singer like Michael Buble. Buble brings something more to the standards. He has a sweeter voice than Connick yet brings a more individual style too. In some ways he is reminiscent of Bobby Darin but whereas Darin could certainly swing, Buble also brings a sensuality to his music. His version of "Sway" is by far the best I have heard and my current favorite from the CD.

The arrangements are all great and the selections range from standards like "Fever" and "Come Fly With Me" to new classics like "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" and "Moondance". Buble's cover of "The Way You Look Tonight" would make even Fred Astaire proud.

The boy is soooooooo good!
I bought singing lessons on CD "Voice Lessons TO GO" by Vaccarino, because I was tired of being embarrased to sing with him when my husband was around! I love to play Buble's CD over a good home cooked meal. It is is such romantic music- his voice is so charming. I am also a huge Harry Connick Jr. fan. If you like one, you'll like the other.

A word to the detractors;
So you like Frank and Bobby better? Quite a left-handed insult. Although it's fair to say that Bubel comes from that style, (and who could be interested in this kind of music without listening to a -lot- of Sinatra?), it's also apparent to me that this guy just opens his mouth and -sings-, naturally and musically. Some people aren't built to punk out, guys. Let's allow two or three saloon singers to have a career .

"Michael Buble" one CD you will never get tired of playing.
Michael Buble is a special talent. I have been listening to his self-titled album "Michael Buble" for quite some time now and every time I hear Michael sing I am just amazed at how mature and seasoned his voice is. Others have mentioned comparisons to other great performers from the past, but Michael doesn't have to rely on anyone's reputation but his own. With his gorgeous voice and unique style he will be a permanent fixture in the pop music scene for many years to come. This CD is really well done. The song selections and production are perfect for a singer of Michael's great ability. You are really going to enjoy this CD!

If you enjoy listening to crooners and Big Band Swing, I would also suggest Monte Procopio. His 13-piece band swings and Monte can really sing the standards.
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